About Me

Three years ago, I felt the air deflate from my lungs when a caring orthopedic doctor suggested that I may have a form of inflammatory arthritis. Passionate about exercising and enjoying an active lifestyle, I was devastated. While the past few years haven’t been easy, I’ve learned to savor each day as a gift. When I experience a day of intense joint swelling and stiffness, I try to remind myself that it might be followed by several relatively pain free days. I’ve also learned to conduct research about my disease and be open to trying the many available treatment options for this medical condition. Good nutrition, stretching exercises, and certain medications have become my best allies in my battle with inflammatory arthritis. On this blog, I want to provide reassurance to others who have been diagnosed with this condition that life goes on. And, it can be surprisingly wonderful. Enjoy!

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If you suffer from persistent migraines, it's likely that you've tried a number of over-the-counter medications to alleviate your condition. However, the sad truth is that most of these medications are ineffective, acting to disguise the pain rather than treat it. You may be surprised to hear that there are actually some very effective natural treatments that aim to reduce your dependency on medication and restore your body to its natural healing state.

What To Do When Migraines Attack

If you've been suffering from migraines for any length of time, you likely have a good idea of when one is soon to occur. When these warning signs becoming strong, you should act immediately. There are a number of options available:

Self-Massage Techniques

Oftentimes with migraines you need quick pain relief in order to go about your daily routine. While simply rubbing your temples can help, there are actually a number of more effective techniques that can alleviate your symptoms. The effectiveness of each technique depends on your situation; however, there are a couple of commonly used techniques that mimic how a chiropractor will treat your problem:

Place your thumbs on either side of the neck muscles at base of skull. Tilt the head back and press firmly for 2-3 minutes, breathing deeply throughout.

The key with self-massage therapy is to take it slow. It's understandable that you may rush into it in order to get some relief; however, slowing yourself down and remembering to breathe properly will help you more in the long run.

Deep-Tissue Massage Therapy

In deep-tissue therapy, the therapist applies enough pressure to stretch the muscles and reduce tension in the body. The aim of this is to improve circulation, which in turn reduces muscle tension. A relaxed body equals a relaxed mind, and if your musculoskeletal system is relaxed then your migraine may disappear.

Acupressure

Not to be confused with acupuncture, acupressure involves applying soft finger pressure to various points on the head. These points are referred to as 'pressure points', and by applying direct pressure to them, migraines can be relieved. Additionally, focusing on these pressure points can help ease muscle tension and allow better circulation throughout your body.

Specifically, there are a few important pressure points to target:

Directly between your eyebrows at the top of your nose. Applying pressure to this location directly targets the pituitary gland, which can be very beneficial for headache relief.

At the rear of your head, underneath the base of the skull. Targeting this area can help restore balance and ease pressure in the neck, which in turn will reduce the severity of your migraine.

Below either cheekbone, directly below the pupil. Gently massaging or applying direct pressure here can help alleviate eye fatigue that is associated with migraines.

Note that the above list is not extensive, there are many more acupressure points that can help relieve your headaches. Each person will respond to different pressure points, so experiment with this!

Chiropractic

The underlying principle of chiropractic treatment is to restore the body's natural healing abilities. By removing subluxations present in the spine, the central nervous system is able to operate efficiently which will help remove any pain caused by migraines.

Specifically, chiropractic is able to reduce the severity and frequency of migraines by treating the underlying problems. The discomfort from migraines can be exacerbated by tension in the neck, postural problems and upper back pain. Your chiropractor will aim to fix these problems, freeing up the range of motion in your joints and alleviating any migraine discomfort.